I recently graduated from college with a degree in Psychology thinking that I wanted to be a therapist. Well, I no longer want to be a therapist. Actually, I have always wanted to do something healthcare related, but I just thought I was too dumb. I thought I was too dumb to be a nurse, so I just abandoned that. Now, I am strongly considering becoming a nurse but I have some hesitations. My first hesitation is that I am socially awkward and have been told that I'm not exactly a 'people person'. I have no problem with going up and talking to people, I'm just more on the introverted side but there are all sorts of personalities in healthcare. As long as I can do what I have to do, I don't see being an introvert or socially awkward as a deterrent.
However, I have super judgmental family members who do not picture me as a nurse and say that I am a not a people person, that it is a gross job and I will be cleaning up someone else's ***. They want me to go into the administrative side of healthcare, but that's not what I am interested in. If it was that is what I would pursue. They are just not supportive of me being a nurse and don't think it's right for me. But there are endless possibilities in nursing. I refuse to let my introversion and social awkwardness hold me back from something I want to do. And also, this isn't my family's life- this is mine. I can make any decisions I want to make. Any advice- anyone else dealt with unsupportive family members or are also socially awkward?
Sometimes how we are brought up and where we are brought up causes us to develop characteristics that can be interpreted as awkwardness, if Nursing is calling you, do not let others get in the way of that.
I was socially awkward and probably still am in some ways, but I was able to flourish in Nursing because I always upheld nursing ethics and deeply cared for my patients and colleagues.
As long as your intuition and intent are good everything should work out, and I hope it does for you!
Not every nurse has to be rainbows and sunshine; not all patients respond to that anyway. I was very socially awkward, I still am even as retired RN with 40+ years as an ER nurse. Early on, I listened to and watched nurses I admired and patterned my interactions with patients similarly. As I gained confidence in nursing, I became more confident interacting with patients and team members so that I didn’t even think about it. My nurse persona, call it acting if you like, was like armor, and made it possible to really help my patients without feeling awkward. Some people are naturals, I was not, and perhaps you are not either. But it can be overcome. Great thing about nursing is there is a place for everyone. I wish you all the best.
Googlenurse, ASN, BSN, RN
165 Posts
I will say the culture of a unit matters most in whether an introverted nurse thrives in that environment or not.